Course Description Summer

Due to its nature, the VOSC prioritizes the limited spots in the course for ophthalmology residents in training within official residency programs. Due to the high demand for the course, this year a special ‘Summer Edition’ will also be offered in September (3-5/9/2025).
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The travel dates and arrangement will be as for the standard VOSC edition that is normally held every year in May, meaning group transport will be arranged from and to Madrid airport on September 2 and 6, respectively. The course syllabus has been slightly modified to adapt to the working hours of the center during the month of September (see below).

Accommodation includes individual rooms with bed and breakfast in a local four star hotel (Barceló Cáceres V Centenario) rather than at the center. Daily group transport between the hotel and the Center at the start and at the conclusion of each day of the course will be provided.

Lunches will be held at the center for course attendees during the course days. An ‘end of the course group dinner’ will be provided for the participants and the lecturers. The rest of the practical information about the course remains the same.

Pre-recorded lectures (online, available after successful application)

Eyelid instrument selection and magnification (RS) (39 min)
Microsurgical instrument selection, magnification (RS) (47 min)
Viscoelastic devices and implants in veterinary ophthalmology (DG) (30 min)
POV, Master topic: The human perspective - Corneal transplantation (LB) (20 min)
POV what differences do you see between VO and HO? Are we doing a good job? (30 min)

Course schedule (onsite)

Day 1 (Sept 3, Wednesday) – Lectures (at center)

08.10 Transport to the center by bus
08.45 – 09.00 Introduction (DG)
09.00 – 09.30 Principles of eyelid suturing and knot tying (LB)
09:30 – 10:45 Suture Board exercises (LB, RS, DG)
10:45 – 11.15 Primary eyelid closure: Tarsal plate suture and figure of 8 (RS)
11.15 – 11.45 Tea/coffee
11.45 – 12.30 Overview of other eyelid techniques (DG)
12.30 – 13.00 Corneal surgery I - Microneedle handling, tying a SI knot and compression zones (RS)
13.00 – 14.00 Lunch (lunch 40 min, following 20 minutes, tour of the center)
14.00 – 14.45 Corneal surgery II – Oblique wounds, buried knots and the locking bite (RS)
14.45 – 15.45 Corneal surgery II – Conjunctival pedicle grafting, CLCT grafting and biomaterials (RS)
15:45 – 16.30 Technical aspects of phacoemulsification machines (LB)
16.30 – 17:00 Tea/coffee
17.00 – 17.30 Phacoemulsification surgical technique (DG)
17.30 – 18.10 Problem solving in cataract surgery I (RS)
‍18:10 – 19:00 Problem solving in cataract surgery II (RS)
19:00 – 19:15 Wrap up / questions

Day 2 (Sept 4, Thursday) – PRACTICAL DAY 1 – Eyelid and Corneal Surgery I and II

08:00 – 08:30 Transfer to the Center (and quick change into scrubs)
08.30 – 11.00 Primary eyelid closure and reconstruction on cadaveric tissue (LB, DG, RS)
11.00 – 11.30 Tea/coffee
11:30 – 13:00 Corneal surgery I – SI and SC suture techniques including burying knots (LB, DG, RS)
13.00 – 13:45 Lunch
13.45 – 15.00 Corneal surgery II – SI and SC suture techniques including burying knots (LB, DG, RS)
15.00 – 15.15 Debrief and Learning Points
15:30 – 16:00 Transfer to the hotel
(option: tissue permitting, some might continue with eyelid surgery if they wish to do eyelid and cornea and no lens)

Day 3 (Sept 5, Friday) – PRACTICAL DAY 2 – Corneal Surgery III and Lens Surgery I and II

08:00 – 08:30Transfer to the Center (and quick change into scrubs)
08.30 – 11.30 Corneal surgery III – CLCT and Amnion grafting (LB, DG, RS)‍‍
11.30 – 11.45 Tea/coffee
11:45 – 13:00 Lens surgery I - corneal incisions and capsulorrhexis techniques (LB, DG, RS)
13.00 – 13:45 Lunch
13.45 – 15.00 Lens surgery II - corneal incisions and capsulorrhexis techniques (LB, DG, RS)
‍15.00 – 15.15 Debrief and Learning Points
15:30 – 16:00Transfer to the hotel
(option: suture availability permitting some might continue with corneal surgery if they wish to do eyelid and cornea and no lens)